Mind Games
by Centroides
Summary: Things are not always as they appear. Can anyone figure it out before it is too late?
1. Chapter 1

Mind Games

The pain dragged him up. He tried to fight it but it was relentless. He must have groaned because a gentle voice called to him.

"You're going to be all right. Just relax. You've been injured but you're going to be all right."

The voice was gentle and soft; a woman's voice. Who was she? He tried but could not seem to get his eyes open. It took a concerted effort to get his hand to move and when he did it was awfully heavy. He hurt too much to wonder why. Slowly his hand moved toward his head but it was stopped by something soft, and warm.

"Gently. You have a head injury." He felt the shape of fingers. Someone was holding his hand and guiding him. "The last time you tried to pull the bandages off." His hand was escorted to his head where he felt the bandages that covered his head and his eyes.

"There was a lot of dust and debris from the explosion so the Doctor had to flush your eyes several times. There may still be some irritation so he has wrapped them to let them rest. He did not think there was any permanent damage."

The patient's mind was sluggish; slow to respond so his hand had descended back onto the bed before the thought formed. Explosion? What explosion? His mouth remained still, unaware that it was required to move to get the answer. He sank back into oblivion.

Later he returned. It was all quiet. Where was he? Was he alone? Where was the woman? Was she real or had he imagined her? He turned his head to the side where he thought her voice had come from and wished he could see.

"I'm glad to see you're awake. How are you feeling?"

A woman's voice. Was it the same woman? His recollection was fuzzy but it might be. He knew he should answer but when he tried all that came out was a grunt.

"You're probably thirsty but with the IV I can't give you anything. I'll let the Doctor know you're awake." There was the sound of rustling fabric and then from farther away the voice said, "I'll be right back."

His hand was lighter this time but the bandages were just as thick. His body ached. How long had he been here? Where had she gone?

Finally footsteps approaching, one shoe squeaked and then a man's voice.

"I'm glad to see you're back with us. How are you feeling? Better I hope." Gentle hands touched his wrist and he felt the fingers on his pulse. "I'm going to take your temperature so if you'll open up and lift your tongue."

He felt the tube slide into place and he closed his mouth around it. More gentle hands slipped the blood pressure cuff into place. Minutes later the voice was satisfied.

"You've certainly made great improvements. We thought we'd lost you for a time." There were more adjustments and then he said, "I'm going to allow you to have fluids but we'll keep the IV in just in case. I'll send for water and some soup. The nurse will help you and if it's any consolation, she's a pretty young thing." He chuckled. "I'll let the Ophthalmologist know that you're awake. He'll want to check your eyes. Most of this is a precaution but there is always a chance of permanent damage in these cases. I'll check in on you later." Doctor Squeaky Shoe left.

Minutes later a rustle of starched uniform told him Nurse 'Pretty young thing' had returned.

"I've brought you a pitcher of water and a bowl of soup. Supper is over but I know the cook," she added in a conspiratorial whisper.

"I'll just raise the head of the bed a bit. Just let me know if you're uncomfortable, all right?"

The slight elevation felt good. Then she came around and after asking him to lift his head she added another pillow. That felt even better.

She started with the soup, barely warm, clear, probably beef broth. The moisture made his mouth and throat feel better but he tired quickly. She must have noticed because she stopped and lowered the head of the bed. He must have slept.

Again the pain dragged him back but it was the motion that brought him alert. He was moving or being moved. He reached out to brace himself.

"Oh, good morning" She was back.

"Good news. You're being moved to a private room out of the Surgical Ward. The Doctor says you're well enough. We're almost there and then I'll get you some breakfast."

The morning meal was liquid but that was all he could stomach. At least it was topped off with a cup of coffee, lukewarm so he did not burn himself but at least it was real coffee.

As she took the dishes away he thought about what had happened. What had happened? Nothing came to mind. Strange. All he remembered was jumbled flashes, faces, places but no names. He reached up to feel his head. His head still ached but it wasn't as bad as it had been. That was probably what was causing the amnesia. Once that healed his memory would come back.

"Your head still bothering you?" Nurse 'Pretty young thing' asked gently. "You still have the IV. I could ask the Doctor…"

"No. It's not as bad as it was." He lowered his hand and turned toward the voice. "What happened?"

There was a pause and then a tentative, "You don't remember?"

"No."

"You were in a building that was hit by a bomb."

"Was anyone else…? How many dead?"

"I don't know," she said sadly. "There were some. Fortunately most people had gotten to the shelters. You were lucky to survive.

"Were you with friends? Maybe some of your men were there with you? If you'll tell me their names I could see if they're here."

"My men?"

"Yes," and she laughed a happy laugh. "They thought you were a civilian because of your clothes."

"My clothes?"

"Yes. You were wearing civilian clothes but while you were unconscious, I guess delirious, you were talking or yelling. That's when they realized that you had to be military.

"That reminds me," she continued, "You didn't have any identification on you. What's your name? Oh, wait while I get a pencil and paper." There was a rustle of material that faded away and then returned.

"I feel like a secretary," and she laughed. "Your Commanding Officer is probably worried where you are so what's your name?"

He would have blinked if he could because he could not remember. What was it? He tried picturing someone calling him. Nothing. He pictured the owner of that happy laugh sitting beside him pencil poised. The Doctor said she was a pretty young thing. Did she have dark hair long but done up stylishly. Her eyes were… blue. Her uniform…

She was waiting for him. He had to tell her something. "Uh, I … don't know."

"Oh," she sounded disappointed. "Any names come to mind? Brother, sister, how about your Mother's name? And don't say Mom," she suggested with a laugh.

He tried picturing anyone but no one had a face. Surely he had parents but he had no memory. He shook his head slowly not wishing to stir up the pain.

"Oh well," she sighed. "It doesn't really matter. I hope you don't mind, we've been calling you John. You know, for John Doe. Hey wouldn't that be funny if your real name was John just like we've been calling you. Bet your last name isn't Doe, is it?" More rustling and she said, "I'll just leave the pencil and paper here so when it comes back to you I can write it down. I hope your family isn't too worried. You sound like you're from the States. Do you remember where you were born?"

Squeaky shoe was back. "Good morning," He sounded pleased. "How are you feeling? Any better?"

"Yes."

"How's your headache?"

"Not as bad. Still there but not like it was."

"Good. Open up, let's get your temperature."

He complied and then waited as his pulse and blood pressure were checked. After the thermometer was removed he was asked to sit up and he felt the cold touch of the stethoscope on his back and chest.

"Good, you're healing nicely. Your temperature is still a little elevated but no sounds of pneumonia."

"What about my eyes?"

"The Ophthalmologist hasn't been by? All right, let's have a look."

There was a sound of scraping and then he felt the bandages were being removed. When he finally felt the cool air on his eyes he tried to open them. The light, dim though it was burned his eyes and he closed them against the pain.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to open your eyes. Tip your head back. I'm going to put drops in your eyes. It will help to flush and sooth them."

He complied and felt the hands on his face. He knew it had to be done but having someone mess with his eyes was hard especially when all he wanted to do as close them against the blinding glare and pain.

"There, all done. That should help. We'll just wrap them up again. Your eyes do look better than they did. Won't be long."

That reminded the patient of a question that had been pressing for an answer. "How long have I been here?"

"Let'see. You were brought in… It's been just over a week but you were in serious condition."

"Can I get out of bed?"

"You are a soldier, aren't you," he laughed jovially. "Can't keep you down. Eager to return to your troops." Then he turned serious. "I would like you to wait a few days. You are still very weak and your blood pressure is low. Bed rest, plenty of fluids, that's what you need. Sleep too. I'll see you tomorrow." With that Doctor Squeaky Shoe was gone.

"That's good news isn't it?" she stated.

"What's your name?"

"Oh," she said sounding flustered. "My name is Elizabeth or Lizzy for short." Her voice said she was smiling. She was embarrassed.

"I wish I could tell you mine."

"Oh, you will. Your memory'll come back and then you'll tell me. Right?"

There was something about the words that she used that chilled him. He replayed what he had just heard but it wasn't her voice, it was the words. Fortunately the bandages covered any frown that might have formed. He just nodded in case she was waiting for an answer.

"Do you like to play cards? Bridge…. Oh I am stupid. How are you going to see the cards? How about something else? Do you like baseball?

"I… I must have, I played as a kid, pitcher and first base." That part he remembered. Hot days out on the lot at the end of the street. The other kids… Who were they? Chucky. He remembered Chucky. Then sadly he remembered that Chucky had died. He no longer wanted to play this game.

"I think I'll just sleep for a bit."

"All right. The Doctor did say to get plenty of rest. I'll come back later. Maybe I'll bring your lunch," she suggest hopefully.

As he relaxed and released his control his mind began to try to figure out this confusing new reality with all its missing pieces. There were flashes of scenes and faces that he knew he should recognize but didn't. They did not go together.

A young woman, dark haired and pretty was scolding him saying 'You gave him too much'. In his dream he looked down and saw his plate piled with food but he was not hungry. Then she said, "He can't remember anything." What did she mean?

Before he could puzzle that out the scene shifted to a tall dark haired man with dark eyes wearing a German Officers uniform. He was sitting in a kitchen that he recognized. He did not know where he had seen it before but it was familiar. He had been there. Was it his kitchen? And why was a German Officer sitting in his kitchen smoking a pipe and telling him that 'they may try to con you'.

The scene shifted again. This time he was with Chucky, his best friend when he was a boy. The two of them were hiding. Chucky whispered, "Don't tell them anything." The two held their breath as a dark shape drew near. Suddenly Chucky bolted and he followed. Feet pounding, arms driving, lungs gasping for air, they ran as if their lives depended on it. It was after them. Then it all faded.

He woke tired and confused. The scenes from his dream lingered at the edges of his mind. They had to be a result of his damaged brain but they still worried him. Who were these people in his dream? Did he know them or had he made them up?

Chucky!

Chucky was real, or had been. Chucky had been his best friend when he was young. He had been killed by a car. What had they been hiding from in his dream? They had played Cops and Robbers and sometimes Cowboys and Indians but he could never remember being that scared. Sometimes the invisible Indians attacked their cattle drive but they always managed to drive them off. Even when they played Cops and Robbers, they were always the cops; they were the good guys and did not have to hide or run away.

As the only recognizable person his mind clung to his boyhood friend. Why had he said, 'Don't tell them anything'? It did not make sense. If they were hiding he would have said, 'Don't make a sound' but he had distinctly said, "Don't tell them anything". It was a warning. But why and who was he being warned about?

"You're awake and just in time too," said the woman's voice with a smile. "Dinner has just arrived." There was the sound of dishes being moved. "And even better; it isn't soup.

"Here, I raise the bed for you." The bed went up and she added the pillow like the last time. The food was bland and soft. He was not sure what it was other than the mashed potatoes but it took the hunger away. When he was finished he heard the dishes being removed and then she was back.

"John?" she said. He turned toward her. "Is that your name?" She was asking but she was not as hopeful as she was the last time. "Has anything come back to you?" She asked. "I was hoping to be able to tell the Doctor that you were getting better." She sounded sad, maybe a little disappointed.

She had been so good to him, sitting with him, feeding him, keeping him company. He wanted to make her happy. He was about to tell her about Chucky but his friend's words stepped into the way. "Don't tell them anything." He said nothing just shook his head. He felt bad about doing that to her but until he understood it was better this way.

"You're in the Army," she said. "Where all have you been? I arrived here from Des Moines. That's as far as I've been. Have you been to Paris?"

"I don't know."

"If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?" Her voice was dreamy as if she was imagining where she would go.

"Home?" he suggested.

"And where's that?" she asked casually. "You wouldn't happen to live near Des Moines would you?" she said coyly. "Maybe I could see you after the war." She waited expectantly.

He shook his head. This time it was not a lie. He did not know where home was. What he had meant was someplace other than in the Hospital. Come to think of it this did not seem like a Hospital. There were no other sounds. He would have expected noises from patients or carts being pushed past or bed pans rattling. There was nothing. How did he know about the sounds? He must have been in a Hospital before. Or maybe he was at the end of the hall.

"I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to blurt out the first thing that comes to mind." She sounded excited, like this was a game. "You ready?

"Your best friends name…"

He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

"We're going to change this a little. If you can't come up with one then make one up, all right." She seemed undeterred by his failure to answer. "And after each answer you get to ask me one. So, your best friend…"

"Uh, John. Uh, what color is your hair?"

"Oh, you are sweet." It sounded like she was blushing. "My hair is brown."

"Is that true or are you making that up?" he asked with a grin. She had been so good to him that he wanted to make her smile and to make it up to her for lying to her earlier.

"Oh, that was two questions," she admonished playfully. "You only get one but I'll answer anyway. It's true. My turn. What's your favorite color?"

He considered.

"You have to answer fast."

"Blue." He did not think it was true but it was the first one that came to mind. "What's your name?"

"I told you already. It's Elsa. My turn. Where was the first place you were stationed?"

"Uh," He could not think of one so he said, "Washington?"

"Is there a base in Washington?" she asked interested.

"I don't know. It was the first name that came to mind." Another lie, another twinge of guilt. Military bases were something you did not ask about. She was obviously not Army or she would have known that.

"My turn," he said but then could not think of a question. He smiled in embarrassment then asked, lamely, "What color is your dress?"

"You're not very good at this game are you," she said with a laugh. "I'm a nurse so I'm wearing a white uniform."

"You're right. I guess my brain is still scrambled." Something was not quite right. "Did the Doctor say how long this will last?"

"No. Everyone is different. All we can do is keep you rested and fed and hope nature takes it course and you get better," she added with a smile in her voice.

"Yeah. Thanks for staying with me, and helping me."

"You are welcome. It's the least I can do for one of our soldiers," then she leaned in closer and said, "Especially a good looking one like you."

He smiled and said, "Thank you." So he was good looking. That was nice to know. Or maybe she said that to all the injured service men.

Why was he so suspicious? It was because of the line of work he was in.

What?

What line of work was he in? Was he a spy for the German's? That was why he dreamed about the German Officer sitting in his kitchen. What had he said to him in his dream, "They may try to con you"? That did not make sense. Whose con was he to watch for? Were the Americans going to try to con him and he was to watch for it? He was an American so why would they con him? If it was the Germans who were going to try to con him then why was a German telling him to watch for it? It was all too confusing. His head was hurting and his eyes were too.

He wanted to rub his eyes or splash cool water on them, something. He started with just touching but that was not enough. No one said anything so he started pulling, trying to lift them enough that he could put his finger under. They were too tight so he felt around and found the tape. He pulled and the gauze began to unravel.

As the pressure disappeared he pulled the gauze pads off as she came running into the room. "No." She was frightened and then her voice softened as she grabbed the gauze and forced them back over his eyes. "You mustn't take that off. The Doctor said your eyes aren't healed. You could damage them farther."

He sat still as she put the wrappings back into place but it was too late. He had seen something. It had been very blurry and painful with the bright light after so long in the dark but he had seen that he was in a small room that looked out into a huge dark area. That was not a hospital hall, it was too dark. He was not in a Hospital and he was not alone with a woman. There were other dark shapes. He heard motion and sensed that someone had moved up on the other side of the bed. He pictured one of the men with a gun to his head. He reached out to the woman.

"Elizabeth." He allowed all his fear to come through in his voice. "Get the Doctor. My eyes! I'm blind! I can't see anything. Please. Do something." He did not have to fake the fear. Were they going to kill him? His only chance was to convince them that he did not see anything and that he still believed their con.

That was it, the con.

"Calm down. It's too soon. You should not have taken the bandages off," she admonishes sternly.

"I wanted to see you," he cried. "I wanted to show you that I was getting better but I'm not. What'm I going to do? I'm blind." He could feel the tension as his captors decided what to do now. How to sway them?

"Please don't leave me. I need you. Help me." They must have believed him because the other person moved away. Unless he had changed his shoes that meant there were at least two men and a woman.

Meanwhile

"It's been three days! How long you gonna wait?"

"I do not know what you are talking about."

"You lost'm," Casino said dejectedly. Then louder and with anger, "You fucking lost him." He wheeled on the other man, the older man on their team. "I fuckin' told you we should've …"

"Casino. Your language is offensive."

"I don't give a shit! They," and he pointed to the two Officers who also sat at the table, "screwed up. How the Hell are we going to find him?" He turned to glare at the ones he held responsible.

"Casino. Sit. Down." Actor watched as he obeyed reluctantly and only after glaring at the Officers. "Do you have any leads?" he asked conversationally.

There was a pause and then the older of the two, Major Addington, lifted his head and said, "We have heard rumors of goings on in…"

"Goings on," muttered the safecracker.

"A body was found floating in the harbor in Grimsby. We have to assume they are based there. We have people watching but so far…"

"You haven't found the Warden," finished Casino sarcastically.

"No, we have not." The Major's tone revealed how close he was to losing control of his stiff upper lip.

Actor glared at the safecracker willing him into silence. The English Major had initially refused to see them and this was why so if he hoped to get any information at all he was going to have to offer something. He looked to the man to his left. Goniff sat absolutely still, strange for the man who liked to wander about looking at things. He usually had something to say as well. Was he trying to hide his English origins or was there something else? His face, usually smiling, gave him his answer. Goniff looked lost, like he had been abandoned and he did not know what to do. In a sense they had all been abandoned. The Warden had been called to London but this time he was escorted. They had laughed at him when the MP's showed up. 'How's it feel?' they had taunted him. He had not returned.

Two days later they had snuck off to London to find out where he was. Eventually they had gotten in to see Major Addington of Allied Intelligence. He had told them that the body of one of their covert team leaders had been found in the Humber River. Fortunately the cold had prevented excessive decay so the Coroner had determined that he had several needle punctures on his arms. He had been drugged. The fear was that he was targeted. Of course they now suspected that Garrison might have suffered the same fate.

Actor looked a little farther down the table to the last member of the team. He did not look lost. Instead he looked watchful. The man was always alert, watching the people and his surroundings. He had a thought.

"Chief?"

"I ain't no tracker." He had not even turned his head but continued to watch the two soldiers.

""Yes, I understand that. I was going to ask if you had any thoughts as to how we should proceed." Only the watcher saw the ever so slight look of dismissal that crossed the Brit's face. They were lowly cons and only Actor's persistence and manner had gotten them this far.

Chief knew he was garbage in their eyes and he didn't care. What he did care about was the life of the missing man. He wanted him back and not just because finding him would rub it in their faces but because he liked the man. "You gotta map?"

This time it was a flash of disgust but the map was produced. When asked the location of the body it was pin pointed and they all examined the map.

"Look up river." They were calm confident words.

"We can't expand the search area. It is most likely they simple dumped the body in the harbor."

Ignoring the protests Actor asked, "And why do you suggest that?" He carefully watched for Chief's reaction.

The Indian knew he would never win their respect no matter what he did but there was something else he could win, their fear. "'Cause that's the best way to get rid of a body, float it down river." Then he looked directly at the haughty Major and said coldly, "Ain't got caught yet." Their reaction, slight though it was, pleased him.

"How long was the body in the water?" asked Actor.

"The Coroner thought he was dead two days, maybe three."

Chief thought back to the way the Mississippi flowed. He had spent warm afternoons watching leaves and bits of wood float down. He remembered how the water carried the bits and how the current swung around the bends. He pointed to the map. "Don't know how fast yer river is but that's where I'd start." He pointed to a spot upriver.

Actor watched their faces as well. They wanted to dismiss the comments as coming from an unreliable source but it made sense. Maybe his comment about not getting caught had done the trick. Had he done that before? Not that that was important right now.

"We need to go there. Can you…" started Actor.

"Absolutely not. We can not have you mucking about."

"Mucking…?" said Casino angrily.

"You will be returned to your base. Dismissed."

Casino jumped up about to blast but Actor grabbed his arm and threw him off balance. "Casino! NOT now." He was glared at but the safecracker backed down and followed the con man. Once they were outside they stopped forcing the two MP's of their escort to do the same. "Goniff, now would be the time to go, not when we are half way home", said Actor patiently like a parent to a small child.

There was silence for a moment then the Englishman said quietly to the closest MP. "Where's the latrine?" Not about to let him go off by himself he motioned with his head and the two stepped back into the building.

Actor stepped in closer to the remaining soldier and pulled out a cigarette case. He opened it and offered it to the other man. Once his attention was diverted Casino slugged him and Chief caught him before he hit the sidewalk. Within minutes Goniff appeared around the side of the building. They got into the jeep and Chief drove off. The unconscious soldier was propped up in the next jeep minus his weapon.

It was late in the day by the time they reached their destination. It had not been put into words but they knew that what they were looking for was a Fifth Column group that had to have a base where they could come and go at will where no one would question them. This could be someone's home but the traffic especially if they kidnapped someone would be too risky. They would have to have someplace else. Maybe an abandoned building but then the traffic would alert the authorities. Actor had never had any dealings with such people but it was human nature. They would need to find a place where they could be left alone. The four men would have to check the industrial part of the city but first they needed a vehicle that would not draw attention unlike the US Military Jeep they were driving.

Working methodically they noted all warehouses that looked to be not very busy. A total of eight warehouses fit the requirements. Apparently the war had put a real crimp in the industry. One was immediately ruled out because it had been gutted by a fire and half the roof was missing. That left seven more.

"I will have to wait until morning to go to city hall," said Actor.

"City Hall? For what? We don't have time. Why not just break in and see for ourselves."

"Not like we never done that before," added Goniff smugly.

"I hoped to find out if the owner of the building was involved."

"We find the Warden, then you find the owner."

"An' we," Chief paused when he saw the look on Actor's face, "turn'm over to the cops."

"All right," said Actor with finality. "We will start with the one closest to the water and work inland."

"Why not the one down river and work our way up?"

"Do you have to argue with everything I say? I do not know how the Warden puts up with you." He was exasperated.

"Cause he's got the brains to know I'm right," answered Casino with a satisfied grin. Actor had just made his day.

Actor muttered something in Italian as he looked skyward.

"Yeah, He knows I'm right too."

"Forgive him, he knows not what he says," said the tall Italian.

The first warehouse to be checked was one block from the water. The mid-sized brick building appeared to be deserted. Some of the windows were even boarded over. Were they broken or hiding something? A daylight break in was dangerous but they did not have a choice. Chief pulled their 'borrowed' car up as close as he could to the rear corner of the building. Goniff launched himself from the roof of the vehicle and was able to pull himself up to the ledge and then to the roof. He disappeared and the others waited anxiously.

Finally a familiar blonde head appeared. One shake and he turned and descended.

"Mostly empty but no one's there." They moved on to the next building. By the fourth they could see that the Englishman was getting tired. Climbing up and down these building was physically demanding. At the fifth one Casino offered to pick the padlock. It was now dark enough that he would not be easy to see.

"Be careful," said Actor automatically.

"Always am," he replied just as automatically.

"That's why you were in prison," put in Goniff with his usual grin.

"I was ratted out," the safe cracker retorted.

"By yer own mouth."

Casino swung around to face the taunter, a snarl on his lips but Actor stepped in.

"The Warden does not have time for this." Casino returned his attention to the lock. With a click the padlock released and Casino swung back the hasp. Grasping the handle he turned it and pushed but nothing happened. He tried again with a little more effort. It moved but was dragging on the floor so he lifted and shoved. This did not look promising. The inside was empty except for a few spiders and flies. From the dust it did not look as if anyone had been here for a while. They backed out and relocked the place.

On to number six. Like the others they scouted the exterior before they approached. This building was situated right on the water with nothing but a narrow road between it and the wharf. Along this side there were three loading doors and a personal door at the end. On the landward side there were three more loading doors but these were blocked by stacks of barrels and other debris. Was this deliberate? They exchanged looks.

Actor and Goniff climbed the barrels. Once on top Actor cupped his hands and gave Goniff a leg up. From there he was able to reach the roof. Just in case the others retreated across the street and down the alley. They waited and watched.

Several minutes later Goniff reappeared, slipped over the edge and dropped. After climbing down the barrels he ran across the road.

"I 'eard voices down the ventilation shaft. They got it blocked with steel bars welded in place so we can't get in but someone's in there. One of the voices sounded like a skirt." He waited before asking, "We going in?"

"We will have to come up with a con to draw them out. Going in not knowing the layout would be too dangerous."

"So whata we do? I guess fire would be too risky unless Big Chief 'Plays with Matches' could build us a smoky fire."

"In order to function this late, they would need the electricity for lights. If we could," he looked up to the wire that to was slung from the pole across the street to the corner of the building.

"Want me to knock the pole down with the car?" asked Chief.

"That would work but it would destroy the car. We are supposed to put it back. There is another way."

It turned into a scavenger hunt but they finally found what they needed. Minutes later they were all set and Chief gave the car some gas. There was a zap and a crack followed by sparking as the wire came down.

Actor saw the danger and yelled to their driver to stay in the car. Chief paused with his hand on the door handle, confused.

"Don't open the door! Stay where you are!"

"What's wrong?" he asked as the door latch released.

"No, Chief. The wire came down on the car. You cannot get out." Chief understood and he froze pulling his hands away from the door, holding them up in front of him. "As long as you stay in the car, you are fine. Just do not attempt to get out."

"We got company," whispered Goniff. Then in a louder voice he said, "Sure, we'll just steal the wire and sell it to the scrapper. You're gonna get us all killed. Do something!"

"It was supposed to break at the other end," said Actor haughtily, "If you had done your job right."

"I did exactly as you tol' me to."

"Guys? Get me outta here," said Chief shakily.

Back by the building there was a whack and a thud before the sound of a body being dragged.

"All right Chief. You are going to have to jump out of the car. You cannot touch the car and the ground at the same time. Do you understand?" By the light of the sparks they saw the car door open and Chief climb out to stand on the running board. "Now jump out of the car."

"How far?"

"As far as you can." He watched him jump then turn back to look. "Go help Casino." He and Goniff would have to get the wire off the car. They needed it for transport.

The four men moved over to the building, opened the door and slipped inside into the blackness. A voice called out in a loud whisper, "Ernest? What's going on? What happened to the lights?"

"Power's out," whispered Casino.

"What do we do? Can you fix it?"

"No. Let's just get outta here."

"Leon's not gonna like that." He was moving closer.

"Come outside where we can talk." The cons backed out and stood pressed against the building waiting. As soon as their victim stepped out he was grabbed and a knife pressed to his throat. Chief dragged him back as they moved away from the door.

In the light of the car's headlights, Actor started asking questions but received no answers. Seeing that was futile Actor told him that it did not really matter, that Leon had already told them all they needed to know. "I just wanted your side of the story but we will have to take his word. What you are going to do is call your friend out without warning her."

"And if I don't?" he asked.

"Do you see that wire?" He said casually. "If you refuse to cooperate I will take it and apply it to your body in certain tender places. I assure you, it is most painful. It is your choice but you must make it now."

"You won't hurt her will you?"

"Not if she cooperates." They walked him to the door then Actor put his hand on the traitor's shoulder and said coldly, "Do not do anything stupid. My friend, here," and he nodded in Chief's direction, "tends to act first and not even bother with questions later. Do you understand?" he asked as Chief released the blade of his knife and it locked into position. They watched as he swallowed hard.

"Elsa?" he called out after stepping inside the door. "Can you come out here for a minute?"

Her reply was muffled by the distance. "What for?"

"Please, it'll only take a minute."

She too had moved closer. "What about him?

"Bring'm," whispered Chief in his ear.

He shook his head and muttered "Too hard."

"Leave…" he choked off as he felt the knife press on his throat. Quietly he said, "It'll be too hard for her. He'll be all right there." The blade retreated enough for him to continue. He cleared his throat and started again, "Leave'm there. Tell'm you'll be right back." There was no response this time so Chief pulled their prisoner back outside.

Moments later she pushed open the door and said as she came out, "What did you want?" and then started to scream when she was grabbed. A hand over her mouth cut her off.

"Who else is in there?" asked Actor.

"No one. It was just us," said the man.

"We want your prisoner," demanded Actor.

"We don't have one. There's no one else here. It's just us."

Casino went to the door and yelled inside, "Hey, Warden. You in here?" There was no answer but from the lack of echo he could tell the place was not empty. Blundering around in a warehouse that could be booby trapped was not a smart move. There would not be a security system operating now that the power was out but there were all sorts of other ways to protect yourself and your illegal activities. They needed a light. Unwilling to give up he yelled one more time. "Hey, Lieutenant!"

In the far distance a voice answered, "Yes Sir."

"Sir?" said a very puzzled Casino.

Actor had come up behind him and heard the safecrackers comment. "Pardon?"

"He's in there. He answered, Yes sir."

"He has been drugged."

"Oh yeah. You think he's all right?"

"Not if he is calling you sir."

"Funny," he grumbled. "We gotta get in there and get'm but we need a light. There could be booby traps." Casino headed back out while Actor called to the Officer to let him know to stay where he was, that they would come to him.

A woman's shriek brought the tall Italian running. The scene he found in the light of the car's headlamps shocked and horrified him. Goniff had the MP's gun to the man's head. Casino was standing behind the terrified woman, a knife to her throat and Chief was kneeling in front of her cutting her skirt with another knife.


	2. Chapter 2

Mind Games

Chapter 2

"What are you doing?" Actor was flabbergasted. He never would have thought in a million years that they were capable of this. The only thing stopping him, though he did take a step in their direction before stopping, was that Chief was cutting around and not up. He was tearing a strip off the bottom of her skirt.

"We need a torch."

Still confused he asked, "Pardon me?"

"You," and Chief pointed his knife to the conscious man, "take off your shirt, his too." As the last of the strip he was ripping came free he stood and approached the man.

"Chief?" prompted Actor again.

"Need somethin' to burn."

"Ah." He understood now. "Casino, we need a stick or a branch."

The male prisoner watched as his captor approached then looked anxiously at Elsa. He had been frightened for her. The man with the knife was closing in. They were outnumbered and unarmed but he did not have to make it easy for them.

"Don't matter to me if it's got blood on it. Or holes."

Seeing the light glint off the blade and Elsa being released he realized that maybe it was better to cooperate. He took off his jacket and then his shirt. Replacing his jacket he turned to Ernest. There was blood on his head where they had hit him but he was breathing. Elsa came over and between them they got his shirt off then they sat back as the shirts were ripped into strips.

"Will this work?" asked Goniff as he held up the spanner Casino had used to knock out the first man.

Casino arrived holding a piece of two by four from a broken skid. Chief considered his options and took the wood. It was too long and heavy but the rough wood would hold the material better. It would also not get hot from the flames. He set to work tying and wrapping the strips around the end while Casino went to the car and opened the hood. They did not have a hose to siphon from the tank so they would have to do it the hard way.

Minutes later the torch was ablaze. Actor, holding Elsa in front of him led the way with Chief following with the torch held high, partly to help spread the light and partly to avoid the thick black smoke. As she led them down a side isle they saw that Casino had been right. There were trip wires and a mat studded with nails. The two had originally insisted that there was no one else in there, that it was just the three of them but they had heard the, "What do I do with him". Someone was in there and they were going to find out who it was. She led them to the Office in the back.

Actor took her with him as he entered the room. It was empty other than a bed and an IV pole with a bag attached. The needle end was on the floor in a growing puddle of clear liquid. Just outside the door was a pile of gauze.

"Lieutenant?" called Actor.

"He's out here," whispered Chief who had remained just outside the door. "Over that way," and he indicated to his left.

"Lieutenant, there are booby traps out there. Please stay where you are and we'll come to you." There was a crash as something large fell and they hurried in that direction.

"Warden?" called out Chief. "You all right?"

With the advantage of being able to see the obstacles they were able to catch up to the fleeing former prisoner. The tall lean blonde man wearing hospital pajamas had his back to the pile of skids. He was their 'Warden' but he showed no signs of recognition. Instead he turned his face away from the light and shuffled sideways trying to put more distance between them.

"Lieutenant? Warden, we've come to take you home."

That voice. He knew that voice. Who was he? He turned his head to see but the light hurt his eyes and they watered and closed involuntarily. He used his hand to shade his eyes and tried to open them hoping to block some of the light. He needed to see who was there. Was he one of the men who had stood by the door? Was he the one who came in and put a gun to his head? How was he to know? He had not seen them clearly. Go along with them. Let them think he believed them.

"I got scared. Where's Elsa? Is she here?"

"Yes, I'm here." If she was going to say more the arm around her throat convinced her not to. Actor abhorred the thought of hurting a woman but when it came down to the Warden's life, he would do what he had to do.

She sounded different. She had always sounded happy. Now she was scared or nervous. If she was in on conning him, and he was sure that was what was going on then, whoever this man was he must be telling the truth? Did that make sense? Or was this all part of the con. What did they want? Why was he being conned? He had been pondering these questions since he had seen that flash of reality when he took the bandages off. Now they wanted him to go with them? Where were they taking him? In his present condition he did not have a choice.

Careful not to release his prisoner Actor began shrugging out of his jacket. Chief saw what he was doing and reached out to assist. Once it was off Chief took it and moved in closer to drape it around his friend's shoulders. It was cold in the warehouse.

"Come, we will take you home now." The voice was gentle, almost familiar.

He took a step closer. Were they taking him back to that room? He wanted to escape but he knew he would never get out of this maze in the dark. He would have to try again. He was somewhat relieved when the tall man opened a door and he felt the colder air of outside. He might be out of the maze but he was in no condition to run. He continued to follow as he was led to a car. The door was opened and he sat. The car was cold but it was out of the breeze and the floor mat was warmer than the cold rough ground he had been walking on.

"Let me see your arm. Chief, bring the light closer." The man in the front seat held out his arm and turned his head away as the light drew near. Actor noted the reddened area where the tape had been pulled off and the spot of blood where the needle had been removed. He was going to have a nasty bruise there but other than that he looked to be relatively undamaged.

"Do you have a headache?" asked Actor. He was concerned that the Warden was still reacting to the light even though it was dwindling. Was the sensitivity from a concussion? Was it something else? Had they done something to his eyes so he could not identify them? If they had blinded him, he would kill the three of them himself including the woman.

"Warden, are your eyes bothering you?" The man's hand had gone to his eyes. "Can you look at me?" As he waited he noted that his hair was flattened around the sides of his head. He had been blindfolded. Maybe that was the cause. He watched as Garrison turned toward him, eye closed. Was there redness around his eyes? It was hard to tell in the weakening light of the torch.

"The next step is to get you back to London," said Actor, "and get our prisoners back as well." Garrison had sat with eyes closed for a time but now he put his head back. He was tired. Actor knew this was not the time to burden the man with what he planned to do next so he told him he would be back and he left.

"So, now what?" asked Casino. He looked to the three who sat leaning against the wall. The first man had regained consciousness. He looked even more miserable that the other two. He probably had a head ache but no one felt sorry for him.

"We need to get going."

"And them?"

"It will be a tight fit in the car but we cannot..."

"Hey, you two," said Casino as he pointed at the two men. Goniff still had the gun trained on them. "Get over here." They looked at each other but did not move. Casino knew what they were thinking. "Goniff, just shoot them," and he turned back to the car.

"No, wait!" and the two men got up with the nameless man helping Ernest. He was a little unsteady on his feet. When they reached the car Casino opened the trunk and gestured inside. "We can't… You can't make…" they protested.

"Goniff." They climbed into the trunk and he shut the lid. "Now there's room."

They all got into the car with the woman in the middle in the back. While the car warmed up Chief noted the gas gauge. "We ain't got enough gas to get back." From the back seat Actor suggested he take them into the downtown area.

"Stations are all closed."

"Yes, but if we find a call box, we can summon help."

Half an hour later they found what they needed but it took another twenty minutes before he could get through to anyone who would take him seriously. Finally he was given an address and told to wait there, that someone would come for them.

Chief kept the car running to provide heat for the Lieutenant. Actor got out and tapped on the trunk lid, checking on its occupants before returning to the car's interior. The night was getting colder.

Several minutes after the car's engine chugged and died a policeman approached and asked if they were all right. Actor told him they had run out of gas and were waiting for a friend who was coming to help them.

"A policeman is always your friend. Come. I will take you to a place you may spend the night."

The place was an Inn called the Miller's Pantry where they were given two rooms. At Actor's insistence the three suspects were taken to the Police station where they were to be held for the Military Police.

Once inside, Actor led the Officer to the bed and Garrison sat heavily, eyes tightly closed. The conman was unsure how to proceed. He did not want to press the man but he needed to know what he had said. He could leave it to the Military who would undoubtedly interrogate him in the morning when they got to London but he wanted to help him if he could. First he had to put him at ease.

"How are you feeling, any better?"

The answer was a guarded, "Some."

That told Actor that he was still suspicious. There had not been any signs of recognition so he had to assume that whatever was in the IV was affecting his perception. All he could do was hope it wore off, soon. His eyes were another concern. Was this sensitivity temporary? What would happen if these symptoms were permanent?

"Can I get you anything? There is a kitchen downstairs and a well-stocked bar. A brandy perhaps?"

"No. Thanks. I think I'll just rest until it's time to go." He lay back on the bed and put his forearm over his eyes.

Actor wanted to question him farther but was afraid to push him. That would only defeat the purpose. Leaving only the small bedside lamp on, he headed downstairs.

"Warden," the Englishman said quietly, "are you awake? I 'ope you're all right. We come looking as soon as we could. You weren't easy to find. Glad you're back though."

"Yeah," said Casino. "You know, that'll teach you to go off on your own."

"Get some rest and we'll see you in the morning," added Goniff.

There was silence for a minute and if Garrison had been aware he would have known that there was someone in the room with him, just sitting there, watching, guarding. This one did not have a gun in his hand but he would have killed anyone who disturbed the sleeper.

Actor came up the stairs as the two men headed back to their room. "What are you doing? And where is Chief." In his hands he had a plate of sandwiches. The proprietor had given him permission before he took them to their rooms. He had in fact offered to make them but Actor had seen the sleep in his eyes to told him he would do it.

"We just went in to say good night to the Warden," said Goniff as they all went in to the cons' room. Chief was not there but Actor understood. He would be watching over the man. Someday he would understand that connection but for now it was beneficial to the team. Actor gave them their sandwiches and he took the rest to the room he shared with Garrison.

As he pushed open the door he called to the watcher. He was sure he had heard him in the hall but just in case. Chief was sitting in the chair watching him. "I brought you a sandwich," he said quietly as he handed him the plate then stepped closer to the bed.

"Warden," he said quietly. "I brought you a sandwich if you are hungry." There was no response so he turned back to the chair. "If you would like to go get some sleep I will take over."

"I'll wake you in four," he said between bites. Actor nodded and stretched out on the other bed.

Morning saw Actor rise stiffly from the chair. As he stretched he saw the sleeper move. At some point in the night he had rolled over taking the blanket Chief had put over him with him. Actor stepped to the side so he could see his face. The eyes moved and the lids fluttered before opening. The curtains were closed so it was dim in the room, still the eyes squinted. That was not good.

Then he blinked and peered up at the Italian.

"Good morning," said Actor.

"Morning," replied the blonde. He looked around the room frowning and said, "Where are we?"

Actor was encouraged. He has said we not I. Did he recognize him as part of the team?

"Where are the others? Where's Elsa?"

Actor's heart sank. He thought he was still with his kidnappers.

"Then his eyes narrowed, "Why were you wearing an SS uniform in my kitchen?" There was a long pause as he considered what he had just said. The frown deepened. "I seem to be… "

"Do you know who you are?" The hazel grey eyes zeroed in on him.

"Yes. I also know who you are."

There was a coldness to the words but he decided to let that pass. "Good," he said warmly. "The drugs are losing their effect. How are you feeling this morning?"

Garrison sat up and surveyed the room through squinted eyes.

"We are at an Inn waiting for transport to London. I am sure the Brass will want to debrief you as soon as possible." As much as he wanted to fill him in on what had happened he knew that was best left for the memories to return naturally. Maybe just a nudge? "Do you remember what happened?

Garrison's hand came up to his forehead. "I'm not sure." He looked around again then carefully stood. "There was a woman."

"Yes. She is at the Police Station awaiting transport."

"Police?" He turned to look at Actor then away as he searched his memory for clues.

Actor waited. When noting more was said, it was time to move on. "Are you hungry? Breakfast should be ready." The other man nodded.

"I have obtained some clothes. If you will get changed I will wake the others and meet you outside the door." Another nod as he eyed the clothes and hat on the end of the bed.

Minutes later they were all seated at a large table in the dining room. The Innkeeper, a burly older man, approached the table looked around and settled on Actor.

"A word, if you don't mind." He was apparently upset about something.

Actor rose and the man led him to the door and outside. "Is there a problem?" he asked. The other three hadn't done anything foolish had they?

"What are you doing with Harrison's car?" he asked coldly pointing to the car they had stolen the night before. Someone, probably the policeman, had brought it to the Inn.

Fortunately fast on his feet Actor sprang into explanation mode. "Thank you for identifying it. We knew the kidnappers had probably stolen it but did not know from where at this time. Once that has been verified it will be returned to the rightful owner. Now, I will need you to give the police the full name and address of the owner. Are you sure of the identity."

The Innkeeper was slowed by the twist Actor had thrown him so he backed down somewhat. "Yes, I know that car. Mr. Harrison is a local who brings us meat and produce. The trunk latches but does not lock. Easier to get his wares. It smells of meat too."

Actor returned to the table to finish his meal. Garrison had not eaten much but the others were almost finished.

"I was promised transport this morning but I was not given a time." He had just finished when the door opened and a US Captain and two MP's entered the room. Since they were the only ones there they approached the table.

Garrison tried to get up but the Captain held out his hand. "At ease Lieutenant. We're here to take you back." He scanned the table seeing only crumbs and said, "If you don't mind, right this way." He gestured to the door.

Everyone rose and headed out except Actor who stopped to thank their hostess. He handed her an envelope and then followed his team mates out. It was only fitting that the money in their prisoners' pockets pay for their lodgings. The Captain gestured to the truck and they climbed on board. It was a quiet trip partly because of the noise of the engine and the tires on the road plus the tension between the cons and their leader. No one quite knew what he was thinking. Not even the man himself.

Back at the base Garrison was taken to the hospital and the cons were delivered to their base.

Hours later the four cons turned down the hallway where Garrison's room was supposed to be. Actor had engaged the nurse while Casino had looked up his room number. Being worried about their leader they had decided to make sure he was all right.

Seeing MP's standing guard in a Military Hospital was not common and with their backgrounds it always caught their notice. The first time they had seen an MP on guard duty Goniff had smirked and said, "Hey, It's not us this time."

As they neared their target they saw that the guards were at his door. 'He must have company' was their thought. They were accustomed to the pat down before they were allowed to enter and Chief was held in the hall until he surrendered his knives. They were not thorough enough to find the one in his boot and he was not about to tell them.

When they entered the room they were pleased to find their leader was awake and sitting up wearing dark glasses. They were worried when they saw he was the room's sole occupant.

"Lieutenant," said Actor in acknowledgement.

"Actor." He remained waiting until they were all in the room. "Anyone know you're here?" he asked. There was an edge to his voice. Actor only had time to open his mouth before he continued, this time his anger was evident. "Other than the guards at the door?"

They were surprised. This was not what they had expected. Why was he angry? He knew they did this all the time and he had never said anything before.

"Lieutenant," started Actor, removing all warmth from his voice. "What is going on?"

"Right now you can all be charged with being Absent…"

"Without Leave," finished Casino. "Yeah, yeah, but what's with you," then he gestured to the door. "and them?"

"Your presence here is not helping. Go back to your base and Stay there." The last two words were emphasized.

"We're not leaving until we get some answers."

"You'll get your answers in time. Now, do as I say. Go back to our base and wait for your orders."

"That's not good enough," was all Casino got out before Actor was literally pushing him out the door. "What're you doing?" He demanded as he was propelled out the door.

Behind them they heard Garrison say, "You too, Chief." He had apparently hung back.

Once they were down the hall and out of sight of the MP's Casino turned on the con man. "What the Hell're you doing? He didn't answer the question."

"He gave us his answer," Actor replied sternly.

"He did?" queried Goniff.

"He told us that what is going on cannot be said there."

Casino frowned. "So…"

"Exactly," replied Actor. Goniff was not sure but he decided to go along. The four men headed back to the purloined jeep.

As he walked Actor tried to puzzle out the situation. Guards at the door meant keeping people out or in. If Garrison was being protected then why was he so angry? The anger had to be the result of being detained. Why was he being held? He had gone out alone and had been kidnapped. Was that it? Was he being charged with being AWOL? That would explain why he had brought that up to them. He did not want them being charged with what he was being charged with. That made sense.

Another possibility was that they had blundered in and spoiled the plan to find out the mastermind behind the operation. That made sense too. The only thing for them to do was split up and deal with each of these possibilities. When they arrived at their vehicle Actor set out the plan. It, of course, did not include returning to their base.

Three civilians entered the Stockade. Goniff and Chief approached the desk and began spinning their story. While the Sargent was busy looking out the window at the supposed 'scene of the crime', Casino slipped into the holding area and made his way to the back where the three kidnappers were being held.

"You guys are really up shit creek, you know that don't you." He eyed the two men in the one cell and the woman in the next one. They eyed him back. "Your only hope is to come clean. The Feds see you co-operating, they'll go easier on you."

Casino felt foolish parroting the words he had heard said to him. It hadn't worked on him and he figured it wouldn't work on them either. Regardless, it had to be done. They had to be told that their cause was lost and that if they were naive enough to think they might still get away with it, that was not going to happen.

"I heard you'll be charged with treason. You know the penalty for that? They're also going to pin a murder rap on you too. Way I see it, you three aren't leaving here alive. Think about it, Keep your mouths shut and it's all over, lights out, or tell us what you were up to, who you're working for and you'll get to live. Your choice. Whoever your boss is, he's worried right now. He's worried your gonna talk. He might even come gunning for you. You're gonna hang and he's free to go on with his life. Too bad for you, Suckers.

"So what's it gonna be?" No one spoke but he saw the two men look to the woman. Was she the leader? Interesting, thought Casino. He would let Actor know about that, it could be important. When he looked in her direction she was sitting on the bench, her face impassive.

"Suit yourself, don't matter to me." As he turned and began walking away, he tossed an "I heard you shit yourself when you die," over his shoulder.

Meanwhile Actor had been busy working his way up to the top. Finally he managed to finesse a meeting with the General.

"The best covert operators are men who do what has to be done. They think independently, form a plan and carry it out. This is what the Lieutenant did. You informed him of the problem; that is why he was escorted to your base, because you feared this might happen. He considered his options. He could play it safe and obey or he could take action, go to the scene and look around. He is a man of action and that is why you selected him for this type of warfare, because he is not afraid to take a calculated risk.

"Lieutenant Garrison should be commended for his actions, not punished. If you must, then reprimand him for not taking backup but do not take him out of the fight."

"Are you quite finished?" asked General Freemont calmly.

"That depends on you, General."

"I must say, your appearance here is a surprise as is your plea."

"He is a good Officer."

"Yes, he is."

"Then why is he under guard?"

"He isn't." General Freemont enjoyed the look on his face and the silence."

Actor was shocked. Not only was the answer not what he had expected but worse, he had been wrong about the situation. Over the years, Actor, and every other con man worth his salt had learned and continually refined his ability to read the clues that helped him understand a situation. He had seen the guards and Garrison's anger. That meant Garrison was a prisoner and unhappy about it. If he was not being charged then why was he angry and why had he brought up being AWOL?

He had been caught in a mistake. Actor, the best conman in Europe had been conned. "You think," said Actor relaxing as he shifted his thinking, "someone might try again." His eyes narrowed and his voice tensed, "But this time he will not be alone. He will have backup." It was not a question and the General did not disagree.

Obtaining German uniforms was perilous, even fatal if you got caught. Obtaining Allied uniforms should be easier but this came with a new set of restrictions. You could not, in all good conscience, hit an Officer over the head and strip him. Though not fatal, the consequences were still daunting. A last resort was the Quartermaster's domain.

Fortunately Actor managed to learn of an Officer who was on leave. He figured he would not mind if he borrowed his duds. Once dressed, he powdered his hair to change the color, added a large mustache and glasses. Even Goniff admitted he looked completely different.

"Major Kenworth to see the…" He looked to the file he was carrying.

"Kidnapping case," finished Goniff, looking very official as his aide.

"Yes, thank you. John Doe one, John Doe two and Jane Doe."

The Desk Sargent looked at his list. "I don't see your name here. Did you…"

"Do not tell me the orders did not go through," he said angrily. "I am surrounded by incompetents."

"Sir," said Captain Goniff calmly. "With our arrival being so recent, it is entirely possible that the transfer has not caught up with us. Maybe our predecessor's name is there."

"Good point." Actor, looking relieved, took over. "Who was assigned to represent the accused?" Actor would have preferred to be an investigator but the MP's would do that. He would have to hope the accused would be allowed an attorney.

The Sargent dutifully checked again. "I don't see anyone scheduled to visit with them."

"No one? That is ridiculous. Accused must be allowed access to a lawyer even if they are guilty. It is part of the investigative and legal process. That is part of what we are fighting for. Now, just put my name down on your list, Major Rodney Kenworth, Attorney at Law, here to see the accused kidnappers.

"I can't just …"

"Obstructing justice is a crime, son." He gave him the inquiring eye.

Fortunately the Sargent was not a seasoned veteran. He succumbed to Actor's words and his gaze, wrote the name on the list and even opened the door for him and his aide. The two Officers were escorted to an interview room.

First to be escorted into the room was John Doe one, aka Ernest. Casino had told him his theory about the woman but he did not want the prisoners to know. He had to put his recent error behind him and trust that was the only mistake he had made. Ernest refused to talk. Even the question about his head was met with stony silence. Finally Actor sat back and just looked at the prisoner. Within a minute the silent man began to show signs of nervousness. This was not what he expected. Goniff wanted to break the silence but Actor had told him to follow his lead so he too sat silent, using the knowledge that they had the upper hand to keep him still. Finally Actor called the guard and said he was ready for the next one.

As John Doe two was escorted in Goniff said, "Do you think all that stuff 'e said was true?"

"Most of it fits with what we already know. Hopefully we can get confirmation…" He looked to the new man and said, "Have a seat."

John Doe two sat down and Actor began the same routine, identifying himself as their lawyer and saying he needed information to prepare his defense. When the first man had left he pulled out three sheets of paper with handwriting on them from the file he had carried with him. He occasionally scanned these pages before asking a question as if he already had the answer and wanted confirmation.

The prisoner had started confident but when he saw the papers he too became a bit nervous. Finally Actors charade broke him and he said, "I don't know what he told you but I never met Leon. Elsa talked me into it. She said…" He stopped aghast, and closed his mouth suddenly realizing what he had just said.

"She said what?" but the prisoner refused to even look at him. "I'm trying to help you here. If you weren't part of this I can have you separated and tried separately. Help me and I might even get you immunity. You would be free but I need your help. What did Elsa tell you?" Then he lowered his voice and softened it, "Or did she promise you something?" There was a flash of recognition or was it shame but then it was gone. Actor had hit on something. It also lent credence to Casino's theory that she was the leader.

"I will have you transferred to another cell."

"No! They'll think I talked. No, I want to stay." Apparently he had forgotten Goniff's inference that Ernest had talked.

"He might try to harm you."

"No, Ernest is my brother. I can handle him," he said, his voice tinged with disgust. More information but the biggest clue was his pronunciation of his brother's name. It was German.

"All right, but if you need help just call the guard. I will let him know that you are to be moved to a separate cell.

That left the woman. When she arrived Actor waited until the guard had closed the door and then addressed her in German. She remained silent but Actor's keen eye saw his tactic had worked. She was unsettled. He explained that Leon had contacted him and told him to represent her but the others were to be left. He had a plan set up to get her out of the prison and to the outside world except for one thing, Leon had not paid him and what he had set up would cost. He knew that time was of the essence so he must move quickly but he had no money. The Allies had frozen all the assets that had been put in place for just such an emergency. He needed her to tell him how to contact Leon. He waited only a moment before she broke her silence.

Elsa did not know how to contact him. He called every night at midnight for a progress report and gave any new instruction. They had missed that last one.

Keeping with the story Actor looked concerned as he said that they needed money. He even asked her if she had any. She said no. He considered for a moment then asked where he called her. He would have to go there at midnight and ask him for the money. Success, she told him her address. After asking if there was anything he could get for her he promised to return.

She was returned to her cell and the two imposters left. Goniff wanted to know what she had said but was told he would have to wait until they were together. After picking up the other two they headed into town and into a pub. Meals and drinks were ordered and Actor shared what he had learned.

The apartment building was an older three floor block on the outskirts of town. The door to the flat was locked but only for less than half a minute after Casino worked his spring steel. Inside was stark, as if no one really lived there. From the looks of the furniture it might have come furnished. The looked around but there was nothing personal. Even the ice box was empty. This was a drop only.

The five men settled in for the night. Midnight came and went in silence. Actor even checked the phone. It was connected but no one called. In the morning Actor and Chief headed for the City Hall. Armed with the address and his charms, Actor soon found out the name of the owner of the warehouse where Garrison had been held. It was only a very slim chance but he was disappointed that the name was not Leon. Winston Harmsworth, the name on the title would have to be checked out.

It took no time at all to find out his phone number. Casino dialed as the others waited. After the small talk was out of the way, he got down to business.

"I got some business to take care of and I need a place. I heard you got an empty building down by the water. How much you want for six months."

"I am afraid you have been misinformed. Both warehouses on the water have already been leased. I do have a building…"

"No. I want that one. I checked it out and it's empty."

"It might appear so but it has been paid for."

"By who? Tell'm I'll make it worth his while to move. What's his name?"

"I cannot tell you that. I can…"

"You either tell me now or I'll have to pay you a little visit. You wouldn't like that, would you?"

There was silence on the other end of the line before he said weakly, "Just a minute and…"

"Don't put the phone down, just tell me his name."

Again there was silence and then in a hesitant voice, "Mister Wagner."

"Mr. Wagoner," he said deliberately mispronouncing his name. "What's his first name and where can I find him?"

Mr. Harmsworth had been in business for many years and dealt with a lot of people, none of them like the pushy American. He knew it was not ethical to reveal the name of the person who had rented the warehouse but he just knew in his gut that that was the wiser move. Mr. Wagner would probably refuse to renew the lease or he would withhold the rent but he would deal with that later. Right now he wanted to get away from the gangster on the phone. He surrendered the information and was relieved when the call drew to a close with, "Now that wasn't so hard was it?" Somehow the dial tone sounded sinister.

"Well, there you have it," said Casino proudly. Actor had his ways of getting what he wanted and Casino had his. "I'll bet he's our guy. Leo Wagner a.k.a. Leon. He rented the warehouse and set it all up. Let's go get him."

"No."

"What? Why not?" he asked in angry disbelief.

"Because, my dear fellow, we want him to be able to testify."

"He'll still be able to talk," he said with a knowing grin.

"No. We will inform General Freemont of what we have learned. The MP's will pick him up."

"Aw, why do they get all the fun?" asked Casino looking crestfallen and relaxing his fists.

"Because that is what they are paid to do. Come, let us go and visit with our favorite Lieutenant."

"It must be 'bout visiting hours," said Goniff.

"And if it's not then Doctor Actor'll get us in," said Chief with a smile. He watched for the smile from the subject of his jest. He got it. The four men headed for the Base and the Hospital. A short detour to the General's Office and they would be done.

It turned out the detour was not short. They arrived at his office but were told he was in a conference and they would have to wait, so they waited and fidgeted and paced and smoked. Finally they were ushered in, at last. They were in but the General was putting his coat on. "Make it fast," he said as he buttoned his jacket.

Actor laid out the information they had learned. By the time he reached the warehouse owners name the General's actions slowed. At the lease holders name he stopped and stared.

"And you think this is the man behind the kidnapping?"

"It is definitely worth looking into unless you have any other leads."

"This will be turned over to the Military Police and you will return to your base."

"We'll take care of him. Those guys don't know what there're doing," put in Casino derisively. "Too busy with their…"

He was cut off by an elbow to his ribs. When he went to return the blow he was stopped by Actor's eyes as they angrily flicked from him to the General. Casino shut his mouth.

General Freemont decided to go with the conman's cue. In an angry tone he said, "That pretty big talk from someone who could be back in prison within a week. I would think you'd be a little more careful with you words and attitude."

"Right now," interrupted Actor calmly, "we are more concerned with what is going to happen to Lieutenant Garrison."

"The last report from the Hospital that I had, the Doctor was concerned that his eyesight might not improve."

"That's why 'e was angry! 'E's scared 'e's gonna be blind."

There was dead silence as they considered this revelation. Goniff was right, he had to be. It fit. Garrison would be devastated by that news and would cover it with anger. That was the way he was.

"Lieutenant," said the General as he strode into the room.

"Sir," snapped out the other uniformed man as he came to attention.

"At ease," and then he added, "Sit down," when he saw the soldier assume the 'at ease' position. He watched him comply. The dark glasses were still in place.

"Your men," who had filed in behind him, "have come to me with information." He watched as the 'obedient soldier' look was replaced by a 'what have they done' look. Had his men gone off on their own before? He would have liked to see the look on the Lieutenant's men's' faces but they were behind him. Did they look guilty or smug?

"I assume they were not obeying orders?" The General had added a hint of censure to see the reaction.

Shit, thought Garrison. He had told them to go back to their base but they had obviously disobeyed. Of course. Why couldn't they do as they were told? He would have to cover.

"I am sorry sir; my memory is a bit…"

General Freemont let him dangle for a moment. The Lieutenant was known for being a little slack with rules and regulations which was reflected in his lack of progress up the ranks, but in spite of his disregard for military protocol, his mission record was good. If you threw in who or what he was working with, his record was damn good, seeing as the men were all still here.

"I will let it go this time," said the General. It would be fool hardy to let the Lieutenant think this was acceptable, "Since they apparently did it to protect you." No need to spell it out that Actor originally thought he was trying to clear Garrison's name. A quick glance at the conman accompanied that statement. The General enjoyed the look the Lieutenant gave his men. This time he did turn to look at the other men and was pleased to see the obvious rapport within this group. Interesting dynamics

"On another note, I hear the Doctor gave you some good news."

"Yes, sir. My eyes are getting better." He removed the dark glasses though he still squinted. He did not look to be in pain now. "The effect of the drops they used is wearing off. I should be back to normal in a day or two. The Doctor has signed my release.

"Good. Your men can escort you back to your base. And that," he looked to all the men, "is an order."

"Thank you, Sir," he said as he stood at attention.

Once the General had left, Garrison turned to Actor and asked, "What did you do?"

" 'Ey Warden, 'ow about we take you to the Doves and we can tell you all about it?"

Before he had a chance to react Garrison was ushered out the door and down the hall. In the back of Actor's mind he considered if removing the Warden from the Hospital was such a good idea, at least until after they had told him what they had done. He could hardly yell at them there. But then the Lieutenant rarely yelled. He was one of a few people who could effectively berate you without raising his voice.

General Freemont regretted meeting Garrison and his men. He had made it a point not to meet the covert teams. It was a lot easier to send faceless names to face death. This team had been the easiest; there was just one soldier, one who did not always follow the rules. The rest of the team was made up of the dregs of society, men whose loss would not be missed by society and might even be beneficial.

His human heart wanted to reconsider this view of them but his military mind knew he could not afford to. They were criminals brought here to do a job. That was all. Just criminals.


	3. Chapter 3

Mind Games

Epilogue

Five men trouped into the Doves and sat at the back table, their table, at least the table the four usually sat at. The barkeeper approached. The lads were usually good but occasionally they got out of hand. The appearance of the lieutenant was a good sign. He would keep them under control, hopefully.

The murmur of voices resumed after falling silent as they descended the steps. There was always an interest in new arrivals. When Goniff's face appeared there were a few call outs of welcome. They were known to the regulars as good sorts who oft brought a bit of excitement. Seeing the Officer who was less well known had them going back to their ales.

When the barkeep left to fetch their orders Actor broke the silence.

"I hope the light here is not too bright for you." The other pubs he had been in had been dim places but they liked the atmosphere here.

Garrison had resorted to the dark glasses when they had been outside but had removed them when they came inside. They now rested on the table. He looked around. As long as he did not look right at the light source then it was not too bad. "It's fine."

"So, you going to answer our question?" asked Casino.

"And what question would that be, who's buying?" asked Garrison with a smile. He knew he had been hard on them in the Hospital for something that was not their fault. He would have to make it up to them.

"Oh, that's already been settled," put in the Englishman. "As the ranking Officer, that would be you." His lighthearted response set the tone and reassured Garrison that they were not all angry with him.

"The question was, what the hell was going on. Why were you under guard and …" a hand on his arm stopped him though he gave the owner of that appendage a scornful look.

This also told Garrison that at least one was still angry with him. He glanced to Chief to gauge his feelings. He was wearing his neutral face. In other words he was waiting.

"Days ago a body was found in the harbor in Grimsby, up the coast from London. He had been with Intelligence. The fear was that we were being targeted."

"Hence the escort when you were called to London," suggested the conman.

"Yes. There were no leads so we were all being warned to be careful."

"Did you know the guy?"

"No. I suggested that I go look around but they said no."

"You went anyway," added Casino, "without back up," he continued angrily.

"I had back up but they lost me."

"See," crowed Casino triumphantly. "Can't trust cops to do a job, even Army cops. We shoulda been there."

"Yes, you should have but you weren't." That stopped the safecracker. "Anyway, I started asking around if anyone had seen the guy and I must have alerted them."

"If you could remember who you talked to, one of them might have been Leon or have a connection to him. Someone needs to ask Elsa how they knew who to kidnap."

"I went to several pubs so it could have been anyone in any of them. It could have been someone who overheard me talking."

"I should go and talk to Elsa again."

"You should stay out of it. Let the MP's take care of it."

"Like they took care of you when you were out there? Let you get kidnapped?" asked Casino.

"They might not be as good backup but they are better investigators. They have the law on their side and they have more resources. Let them do their job."

"We'll give them three days and then we take over." The grim faces around the table told him the others were in agreement.

"What was the purpose of kidnapping you? Did they demand a ransom?" asked Actor.

"There was no note or call so that was not clear at first. In the debriefing I realized that several times she asked me my name and my commanding officers name and the name of my men. They were apparently going for information."

"They blinded you so you could not see them and drugged you to get you to talk." Actor's statement was really a request for information on whether he had talked. Had their ploy worked?

"I remember being at a pub. Someone must have slipped me a mickey because the next thing I remembered was waking up in a hospital, or I was told it was a hospital. Elsa or Elizabeth was there helping me and bringing me food. She casually asked my name and my CO's name so she could let them know where I was. It was all so smooth."

"I am afraid to ask…" hinted Actor.

"No." He smiled at Actor's discomfort. "And I have you to thank for that." He enjoyed the puzzled look on the Italian's face. "At first I couldn't remember anything but then I had a dream and in it you told me to watch for the con. I couldn't figure that out and decided to play it safe."

"Their ploy was excellent but it failed."

"Yes it was and it did."

"What about the other bloke?" asked Goniff. "The one 'oo died."

"The coroner said heart failure."

"As sick as it sounds I hope it was before he said anything."

"We all hope so. Everyone in Intelligence is on alert and with the three in custody and Leon being hunted there isn't much else we can do."

"And what about when you were in the 'ospital. You looked real upset that we came to see you," said Goniff. "You never done that before."

"I'm sorry about that. The Doctor had just been in and he told me that if my sight had not improved that it might be permanent. That would mean a medical discharge and you guys would be assigned a new leader, one who might be a stickler for rules. I know I have been lax in that department. I should tighten up a bit just in case."

"You leave and we leave with you. And don't even think of trying to go all military on us. We like you the way you are, lax and all." Chief's smile said he agreed too.

Well, thought Garrison. That was all of them. He was still their leader and they would follow him. Now if his eyes would hurry up and clear life would be back to normal for Garrison and his Gorillas, or as normal as life with his men would ever be.


End file.
